Like it says in the first post, this is my first chappie, and i'm only 13, so go easy please! But don't hesitate to tell me how i can make it better!
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5 Days Later
Voices.
Disjointing words were floating around my consciousness, in hundreds of different voices.
I concentrated, and the words began to make sense.
A woman, saying Oh dear, this one seems to be coming around.
A man, sighing and saying, Ms. Antoinette. Juliana. Can you hear me?
With enormous effort, I opened my eyes, which felt glued shut, and then promptly closed them upon seeing a white glare.
When I cracked my eyelids open a second time, I saw that I was in a ward, probably a hospital. My mind was calmly cataloging the closed windows with white shutters, and the anesthetic reek in the air, but I felt like death.
“Ughh.” Then the voice can again, this time more persistent.
Ms. Antoinette.
“What is it?” I asked, and then looked around.
Though many people were around me, no one was looking at me, or appeared to be speaking to me.
However, I could still here the voices.
Voices of hundreds of people. I groaned again.
Wonderful. I was in a hospital, and was apparently hearing voices. Well, I thought sarcastically, maybe it will lead me to greatness, like Joan of Arc.
The voice came again. Listen to me. You can obviously hear me, so I’ll just come out and say it. You can hear thoughts. The nano particles in the air affected your whole building, but so far, your power is the only one to come out.
What? I started to protest, but inside I was thinking hard.
People had been developing powers, though not everyone. If the voice were right, it would explain all the random words.
I tried to find the voice again among the mumble, and I heard it.
Well? She doesn’t seem to be reacting. Maybe I should give her time to think and adjust. I’m so hungry….
I had a thought. If I could hear these people, could I talk back? I tried.
Where is Caitlin? What’s your name? Who are you? Come talk to me.
No answer, just thoughts from him that he didn’t realize I could hear. She can try, but I won’t listen. My anonymity is important.
I tried again, and thought hard, Tell me.
I couldn’t figure it out, but though I didn’t change the volume of my thought, when I thought of it, it seemed as though my voice resonated, and echoed in an oddly compelling way.
A black haired man across the room got up, his at least six foot three frame towering above others. His face wore a confused expression, as though he didn’t know why he had gotten up.
He came over and said to me in a deep voice, “Marc Juilliard.” Then he seemed to struggle, and at last he croaked out, “Stop!”
I ignored him and concentrated hard, then said with a voice hard as stone “Continue.” My voice still resonated in that compelling way.
Inside, I was reveling in this new power. To others, or at least Marc, my thoughts were command. I felt all powerful, and scared at the same time.
But on the outside, I had on my poker face, showing no emotions and listening carefully.
“You’re niece, Caitlin, has gone to the bathroom.” His voice was a monotone, and it dragged, as though the words were being forced out of him.
“I work for the French government. I have been trying to see who is reacting to the nanoparticles, and figuring out if we can use people.” When he said this, I could feel him trying to put up shields in his mind to block me, but they were to no avail.
Damn it. She can’t find out!
He started reciting the alphabet backwards, and I pushed harder, searching his mind.
Don’t get me wrong, privacy is great, but this man wanted to use me as a weapon, and I had to see what he was thinking.
Double agent…get them out…. compound…. she can help...need…info…
Disjointed thoughts came from him, and I fell back, tired, as a nurse came up to me.
“Sorry to disturb you, but you need to rest. Do you need me to get you anything?” I shook my head silently at the plump nurse, and I saw Caitlin entering the room.
When she saw me, some of the worry lines in her forehead cleared, and I felt happy that she had cared. She came up to me, and barely glanced at Marc.
“You’re up! Do you have a power?”
Instead of answering her, I thought to her. Yep, I’m telepathic!
She jumped, but I didn’t give her time to comment. I didn’t want her involved with Marc in any way, so I quickly explained everything telepathically, and when I was done, her thoughts were clear in my head.
It’s pretty clear from his thoughts that he’s the double agent, but what were the two sides?
The French government and what else? He had mentioned to you that he was trying to find people who could be useful, but then he also thought about getting them out.
Who were they? What does he want you to help with? What information does he need? Information about you, or about other people that you could get him?
She shot these questions at me rapid-fire, and I groaned out loud. I turned to Marc, and asked sarcastically, “Can I help you with something?”
He looked at me calmly with one eyebrow raised sardonically, and I almost gave him the satisfaction of squirming. Almost, but not quite.
“Get up off that bed. I have work to do, and you are going to help me.” He grabbed my arm, and hauled me to my feet, almost lifting me off the floor for a moment.
“Hey!” Caitlin and I protested at once, and I was glad that Caitlin seemed to have warmed to me in the short time I was in the hospital.
“Come on!” he strode purposefully towards the door with me in tow, telling a nurse in passing that he would take care of me.
“Wait!” I panted out, while practically jogging to avoid having my arm ripped out. He turned to me in exasperation, his stride never faltering.
“What is it?”
“What do you mean, double agent? Who are you trying to get out? From where? How can I help?” I wasn’t at my best, or I wouldn’t have asked so bluntly.
Marc stopped as though he had been pole-axed, and Caitlin almost ran into us.
He hissed, “You really know how to get a guy killed, don’t you? Just shut up, okay?” I was about to protest, but then I heard his thoughts in my head, I’ll explain later, just let me get you out of here, okay?
I nodded, and he continued to walk. However, this time, he shortened his stride to match Caitlin’s and mine, and he released his grip on my arm. Caitlin was giving me a look that obviously meant that she thought I was insane.
Marc probably thought that my curiosity would keep me following. And it did. My instinct was telling me to run as fast as I could in the other direction, but I couldn’t bear not knowing.
I sighed out loud, and Marc glanced at me, raising his eyebrow in the way that had already become familiar to me.
“Curiosity killed the cat.” I said, and sighed again. Caitlin rolled her eyes. Obviously I was not forgiven for trusting Marc. But I did, and I could tell that Caitlin did too.
Marc gave a deep throaty chuckle, and said, “Everyone always forgets the rest of that saying. “Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.””
I was startled into a grin, and said, “Unlike a cat, I don’t have nine lives.”
All of a sudden, Marc’s face shut down, his grin disappearing, and he said tightly. “I wish everyone knew as much. It would prevent them from doing stupid things if they did.”
I was silent, feeling hurt, which was stupid. We had been conversing easily but that didn’t change the fact that I had no idea who this man was. And I seemed to have hit a nerve with my flippant comment.
I thought back, but I couldn’t figure out for the life of me what I had said that could have sparked such a reaction. I was still thinking when we stopped in front of a black sedan.
By now I was thoroughly annoyed, and said acidly, “How cliché. What happened to the dark glasses and thick coat? I’m sorry to inform you that I am not in the habit of getting into cars with strange men.” I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth, and I could tell that Marc was surprised.
Caitlin looked just as surprised, and then let out a musical laugh.
Marc relaxed and said ruefully, “I guess I deserved that. And anyway, you could just scan my mind if you felt like it.”
“Yep, you did deserve it. By the way, your power is the only thing that is keeping me from running the other direction.”
He stiffened, and Caitlin asked, “What? He has a power?” at the same time as Marc said, “My power?”
He was staring at me, and he looked frightened. I didn’t ask what had sparked such a reaction. If he didn’t want to explain, then that was fine by me. I had enough nightmares already.
“Yes. I probed your mind, as you suggested, and I found out that you have the power to make people trust you. Its annoying!”
Marc relaxed, looking oddly relieved. “I didn’t know I had that power.”
He was thoughtful, and then laughed. “Well, that certainly makes things easier.” We got into the car, and after a moment, I spoke up.
“So. I’m here. Explain everything. Where are we going? What are we doing?” Marc turned to me, steering without looking at the road.
“Buckle up, and put your hands over your head.”
“What? Why? What are you going to do?” My mind flashed back at his words.
Putting my hands up, trying in vain to protect myself from the blows of the pipe.
“Juliana. Earth to Juliana.” A hand waving in front of my face. “You okay?” I jerked back.
“I’m fine. Just peachy. Caitlin, lets do what he says for now.” I did as I was told, but thought to him.
What the hell do you think you’re doing?
His thoughts were clear as he thought to me.
We need to be gone. Out of the scene. Easiest way to do that is to die. Or pretend to, which is what we are doing.
I relayed this to Caitlin, who shrieked in her mind.
I felt the car speed up, and braced my self. In this moment, I found it incredible that I trusted this man.
Marc Juilliard, who worked for a foreign government interested in using me as a weapon. And here I was, going along with this life-threatening plan.
God. I thought to myself. Obviously the nanoparticles damaged my brain.
Then it was too late for second thoughts, because the car was off the road. I couldn’t see, but the car was in air, then it was going down.
I couldn’t speak or think, and all I felt was pure, raw fear.
Then I felt impact, and the windows shattered as the car landed and literally flipped. I hit my head, my shoulders, my legs, and every other part of my body, and I was bloody and feeling light headed.
But I was alive.
I unbuckled myself from where I was hanging upside-down.
Carefully, I moved my limbs, coughing. “Marc? Caitlin?”
Marc was hanging next to me, bleeding everywhere, not saying anything. I unbuckled him, sensing for thoughts.
He was alive, but unconscious. Behind us, Caitlin moved.
“Get out of the car.” I said, coughing, and cursing.
She did, and then said with panic, ”Juliana! Marc! Get out now. Come on, you need to get out, the car is smoking!”
Suddenly, my overworked and stretched senses realized that smoke was rising, confirming what Caitlin had said.
Cursing to myself, I doubled my efforts to get out of the car, coughing and shoving Marc out the door.
The man weighed a freaking ton. And he was so tall.
I got him out, and then the car burst into flames. I screamed and fell backward, and the door swung shut. Marc was out, but I was still inside.
I saw Caitlin through the flames, screaming and shaking Marc, yelling at him to get me out.
Using the last of my oxygen, I rammed the door.
It didn’t budge.
I knew it then, without a doubt. This was how I would die. Not by the hand of Andreas, or by some foreign power. I would die in a car crash, burning to death.
I slumped, already overcome by lack of air and the heat.
Then the door suddenly was ripped of its hinges. Rough hands pulled me out, and I stared at Marc. He was already running, with me held like a baby in his arms, with Caitlin running behind.
He was somehow completely unscathed, though I knew that he had been hurt.
Somehow, my muddled brain got a coherent thought through my parched lips. ”You are obviously bad for my karma.” It sounded more like a croak then anything else, but I felt better having said it, and Marc laughed in relief.
Then I let the blackness cloud my vision, and I went to sleep.
